The Cross River State Representative on the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Rt. Hon. Orok Duke, has called for greater collaboration between the Calabar Urban Development Authority (CUDA) and local government councils to address the growing challenges of waste management in the state capital and its environs.
Duke made the appeal during the official handover of waste bins to the chairmen of Odukpani, Calabar South, and Calabar Municipality local government areas. The ceremony, which held in Calabar, was witnessed by the Executive Secretary of CUDA, Dr Ayi Etim Effiong; the Special Assistant to the Governor on General Duties, Barr. Akiba Ekpenyong, and the Member representing Calabar Municipality in the Cross River State House of Assembly, Hon. Stanley Nsemo.
Speaking at the event, Duke expressed concern over the absence of waste bins in some parts of Calabar, particularly Marina, where residents have resorted to dumping refuse on the streets and in open nylos. He stressed that effective evacuation, not just the provision of bins, must remain the priority of all stakeholders.
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“Our role as NDDC is not to take over the responsibilities of state agencies but to augment them,” Duke said. “CUDA must work in harmony with the local governments, and while we support with bins, there must be a clear evacuation plan to prevent indiscriminate dumping, especially in inaccessible areas where trucks cannot easily enter.”
He further warned against politicising the distribution of waste bins, insisting that equitable allocation across wards and communities is necessary for environmental safety.
The Executive Secretary of CUDA, while receiving the bins, acknowledged the challenges of waste evacuation in densely populated areas but assured that the authority would work with the local councils to harmonise routes and ensure a cleaner city.
The three local government chairmen who received the bins welcomed the intervention but admitted that the quantities allocated were insufficient to meet the needs of their councils. The Chairman of Calabar South lamented that some areas, such as Marina, had lost their bins entirely, forcing residents to dump refuse on the ground. His Calabar Municipality counterpart noted the peculiar challenge of narrow streets in areas where evacuation trucks cannot pass, stressing the need for a coordinated approach with CUDA to ensure effective waste collection.
On his part, the Chairman of Odukpani Local Government Area urged for a fairer and more equitable distribution of bins across communities, arguing that densely populated areas would require reinforcement to avoid overflow and indiscriminate dumping.
Also speaking, Barr. Akiba Ekpenyong commended the intervention, describing it as a timely support to the state government’s urban renewal efforts. He called on residents to take ownership of the facilities and avoid acts that would undermine the cleanliness of their environment.
The lawmaker representing Calabar Municipality, who was present at the handover, lauded the synergy between federal institutions and state agencies, urging continuous dialogue to sustain a coordinated approach to urban sanitation.
